Semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

Two memory chips mounted over a base substrate have the same external size and a flash memory of the same memory capacity formed thereon. These memory chips are mounted over the base substrate with one of them being overlapped with the upper portion of the other one, and they are stacked with their faces being turned in the same direction. The bonding pads BP of one of the memory chips are disposed in the vicinity of the bonding pads BP of the other memory chip. In addition, the upper memory chip is stacked over the lower memory chip in such a way that the upper memory chip is slid in a direction (X direction) parallel to the one side of the lower memory chip and in a direction (Y direction) perpendicular thereto in order to prevent partial overlapping of it with the bonding pads BP of the lower memory chip.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and to atechnique for manufacturing the same; and, more particularly, theinvention relates to a technique which is effective when applied to asemiconductor device having a plurality of semiconductor chips stackedtherein, and which is resin-sealed in a single package.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As one of the measures for increasing the capacity of a memory LSI, suchas a flash memory or a DRAM (dynamic random access memory), a variety ofmemory module structures, which are manufactured by stackingsemiconductor chips, each having such a memory LSI formed thereon, andthen sealing them in a single package, have been proposed.

For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei4(1992)-302164 discloses a package structure obtained by stacking,stepwise, in one package, a plurality of semiconductor chips having thesame function and the same size via an insulating layer, andelectrically connecting a bonding pad which is exposed at the steppedportion of each of the semiconductor chips with an inner lead of thepackage through a wire.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 11(1999)-204720 disclosesa package structure manufactured by loading a first semiconductor chipon an insulating substrate via a thermocompressive sheet, loading on thefirst semiconductor chip a second semiconductor chip which is smaller inexternal size than the first semiconductor chip via anotherthermocompressive sheet, electrically connecting each of the bondingpads of the first and second semiconductor chips with an interconnectlayer on the insulating substrate via a wire, and then resin-sealing thefirst and second semiconductor chips and the wire.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

If at least two semiconductor chips, which are similar in size and inthe position of a bonding pad thereof, are mounted, and the bonding padof each of the semiconductor chips is connected with an electrode of thesubstrate by a wire, it becomes difficult to detect the existence of ashort circuit between the wires in a visual inspection step conductedafter completion of the wire bonding step, because a plurality of wiresfor connecting each of the electrically common bonding pads of thesesemiconductor chips with an electrode seem to overlap when vieweddownwards from above.

Among the plurality of wires for connecting the electrically commonbonding pad with an electrode, the wire to be connected with the bondingpad of the lower semiconductor chip lies almost directly under the wireto be connected with the bonding pad of the upper semiconductor chip.Lowering the loop height of the wire to be connected with the bondingpad of the upper semiconductor chip therefore reduces the distancebetween the wire and a wire directly thereunder, which tends to cause ashort circuit between these wires. An increase in the loop height of thewire to be connected with the bonding pad of the upper semiconductorchip to prevent such a phenomenon, on the other hand, thickens the resinprovided for sealing the semiconductor chip and wire, thereby making itdifficult to reduce the thickness of the package.

An object of the present invention is to provide a technique forimproving the reliability of the visual inspection conducted after awire bonding step, in a semiconductor device having a plurality ofsemiconductor chips stacked on one another and sealed with a resin.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique forpromoting a size and thickness reduction of a semiconductor devicehaving a plurality of semiconductor chips stacked on one another andsealed with a resin.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a technique forreducing the manufacturing cost of a semiconductor device having aplurality of semiconductor chips stacked on one another and sealed witha resin.

The above-described and other objects and novel features of the presentinvention will be apparent from the description herein and theaccompanying drawings.

Among the features of the invention disclosed by the presentapplication, summaries of the typical aspects will next be describedbriefly.

A semiconductor device according to the present invention is obtained bymounting, over a substrate, a first semiconductor chip having aplurality of bonding pads formed along one of the sides of the mainsurface thereof; stacking, over the main surface of the firstsemiconductor chip, a second semiconductor chip having a plurality ofbonding pads formed along one of the sides of the main surface thereof;electrically connecting each of the bonding pads of the firstsemiconductor chip and each of the bonding pads of the secondsemiconductor chip with an electrode on the substrate via a wire; andsealing the first and second semiconductor chips and the wires with aresin, wherein the second semiconductor chip is stacked over the mainsurface of the first semiconductor chip while being slid (i.e., offset)in a direction parallel to said one side of the semiconductor chip andin a direction perpendicular thereto.

The manufacturing process of the semiconductor device according to thepresent invention has the following steps:

(a) mounting, over a substrate, a first semiconductor chip having aplurality of bonding pads formed along one of the sides of the mainsurface;

(b) stacking, over the main surface of the first semiconductor chip, asecond semiconductor chip having a plurality of bonding pads formedalong one of the sides of the main surface, while sliding it in adirection parallel to said one side of the first semiconductor chip andin a direction perpendicular thereto;

(c) electrically connecting, via wires, the plurality of bonding padsformed on the first and second semiconductor chips with electrodesformed on the substrate; and

(d) sealing the first and second semiconductor chips and the wires witha resin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating the outer appearance of thesemiconductor device according to one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line A—A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating the base substrate of thesemiconductor device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4(a) is a schematic plan view illustrating the connection of thebonding pads of two memory chips with the corresponding electrodes ofthe base substrate via wires by the chip stacking system according tothe present invention;

FIG. 4(b) is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating theconnection of the bonding pads of two memory chips with thecorresponding electrodes of the base substrate via wires by the chipstacking system according to the present invention;

FIG. 5(a) is a schematic plan view illustrating the connection of thebonding pads of two memory chips with the corresponding electrodes ofthe base substrate via wires by another system;

FIG. 5(b) is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating theconnection of the bonding pads of two memory chips with thecorresponding electrodes of the base substrate via wires by the systemof FIG. 5(a);

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the semiconductor deviceaccording to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the semiconductor deviceaccording to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating the base substrate of thesemiconductor device of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the semiconductor deviceaccording to a further embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating the base substrate of thesemiconductor device of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the semiconductor deviceaccording to a still further embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a plan view illustrating the base substrate of thesemiconductor device of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the semiconductor deviceaccording to a still further embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a plan view illustrating the base substrate of thesemiconductor device of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the semiconductor deviceaccording to a still further embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a plan view illustrating the base substrate of thesemiconductor device of FIG. 15; and

FIG. 17 is a plan view illustrating the base substrate of thesemiconductor device according to a still further embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described indetail based on the accompanying drawings. In all the drawings whichillustrate the embodiments of the present invention, members having alike function will be identified by like reference numerals andoverlapping descriptions thereof will be omitted.

Embodiment 1

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating the outer appearance of thesemiconductor device according to this Embodiment; FIG. 2 is across-sectional view taken along the longitudinal direction (a line A—A)of this semiconductor device; and FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating thebase substrate of this semiconductor device.

The semiconductor device according to this Embodiment is a memory cardMC which is obtained by mounting, over a base substrate 2, twosemiconductor chips (which will hereinafter be called chips or memorychips) 1A having, over the main surface thereof, a flash memory formedas a semiconductor element and a semiconductor chip (which willhereinafter be called a chip or control chip) 1B having a controlcircuit for the flash memory formed thereon; sealing these three chips1A, 1A and 1B with a resin 3; and then, covering the upper surface ofthe base substrate 2 with a resin-made cap 4. This memory card MC isused for storing data, such as image data, for example, as a built-inmemory of a portable electronic apparatus, such as a digital camera. Theexternal size of the memory card MC is, for example, 32 mm on its longerside, 24 mm on its shorter side and 1.2 mm in thickness.

The two memory chips 1A mounted over the base substrate 2 of the memorycard MC have the same external size and have flash memories of the samememory capacity formed thereon. These memory chips 1A are mounted overthe base substrate 2, with one chip being stacked over the upper portionof another. The lower memory chip 1A is bonded to the upper surface ofthe base substrate 2 with an adhesive or the like, while the uppermemory chip 1A is bonded to the upper surface of the lower memory chip1A with an adhesive or the like. The control chip 1B is, on the otherhand, mounted over the base substrate 2 in the vicinity of the memorychips 1A and is bonded to the upper surface of the base substrate 2 withan adhesive or the like. These three chips 1A, 1A, 1B are each mountedover the base substrate 2 with the main surface (element formed surface)of each of them facing up.

On the main surface of each of the two memory chips 1A having a flashmemory formed thereon, a plurality of bonding pads BP are formed in aline along one side of each of the memory chips. In other words, thememory chip 1A adopts a one-side pad system, wherein bonding pads areformed at the periphery of the element surface, and, at the same time,are disposed in a line along one side of the memory chip. On the mainsurface of the control chip 1B, on the other hand, a plurality ofbonding pads BP are formed in a line along each of the two longer sidesof the chip opposite each other.

The two memory chips 1A are stacked one on another, while keeping theirdirections the same. The bonding pads BP of one memory chip 1A aredisposed in proximity to the bonding pads BP of the other memory chip1A. The upper memory chip 1A is stacked over the lower memory chip 1A,while sliding them in a direction (X direction) parallel to one side ofthe lower memory chip 1A and in a direction (Y direction) perpendicularthereto, whereby a partial overlapping of the upper memory chip 1A withthe A1 bonding pad BP of the lower memory chip 1A can be avoided.

On the base substrate 2 in the vicinity of the chips 1A, 1A, 1B, aplurality of electrodes 5 are formed, and the bonding pads of each ofthe chips 1A, 1A, 1B are electrically connected with the correspondingelectrodes 5 via a wire 6 made of Au (gold). The bonding pads BP of eachof the chips 1A, 1A, 1B are electrically connected with the connectingterminals 7B formed on one end of the main surface of the base substrate1 and test pads 8 formed on the other end via the electrodes 5 and awiring (not illustrated) of the base substrate 2 electrically connectedwith the electrodes 5. The connecting terminal 7B is used as aconnecting terminal for fitting this memory card MC to a portableelectronic apparatus and is electrically connected with an externalconnecting terminal 7A on the bottom surface of the base substrate 2 viaa through-hole 11. The test pad 8 is used for the measurement ofelectrical properties, such as, for example, in a fabrication step ofthis memory card MC.

FIG. 4(a) is a schematic plan view illustrating the state of connectionof the bonding pads BP of each of the two memory chips 1A with thecorresponding electrodes 5 of the base substrate 2 via wires 6; and FIG.4(b) is a cross-sectional view thereof.

As described above, the memory chips 1A are stacked in two layers andthe upper memory chip 1A is stacked over the lower memory chip 1A, whilesliding the upper memory chip 1A, in the X direction parallel to oneside of the lower memory chip 1A and in the Y direction perpendicularthereto. When the electrically common bonding pads BP (for example, thebonding pad BPa of the upper memory chip 1A and the bonding pad BPb ofthe lower memory chip 1A) of the two memory chips 1A and thecorresponding electrode 5 are connected through two wires 6 (forexample, the wire 6 a and wire 6 b), the wire 6 a connected with one ofthe bonding pads BPa does not overlap with the wire 6B connected withthe other bonding pad BPb when viewed from above. In this case, it istherefore possible to easily examine the state of connection of thewires 6 and detect, for example, the existence of a short circuitbetween the upper and lower wires 6 by viewing downwards, through acamera, the base substrate 2 in a visual inspection step conducted aftercompletion of the wire bonding step.

When the upper memory chip 1A is stacked over the lower memory chip 1Awhile sliding the upper memory chip 1A only in one direction (forexample, X direction), the wire 6 a connected with the bonding pad ofone of the memory chips 1A seems to overlap with the wire 6 b connectedwith the other memory chip 1A when viewed from above, which makes itdifficult to visually detect the existence of a short circuit betweenthe upper and lower wires 6.

In the above-described stacking system, as illustrated in FIGS. 5(a) and5(b), the wire 6 b connected with the bonding pad BPb of the lowermemory chip 1A lies almost right under the wire 6 a connected with thebonding pad BPa of the upper memory chip 1A, so that lowering the loopheight of the wire 6 a reduces the distance with the wire 6 b lyingdirectly thereunder, tending to cause short circuit therebetween.

Since, in the chip stacking system of FIG. 4(a) according to thisEmbodiment, the wire 6 a and the wire 6 b connected with the sameelectrode 5 are slid in a horizontal direction, lowering the loop heightof the wire 6 a is not likely to cause a short circuit with the wire 6b, which lies under the wire 6 a. In other words, adoption of the chipstacking system according to this Embodiment makes it possible to lowerthe loop height of the wire 6 connected with the bonding pad BP of theupper memory chip 1A, thereby decreasing the thickness of the resin forsealing the chips 1A, 1A, 1B and the wire 6, leading to a thickness andweight reduction of the resulting memory card MC.

The memory card MC of this Embodiment, having the structure as describedabove, can be fabricated as follows. First, a first memory chip 1A ismounted over a base substrate 2 using an adhesive or the like, followedby stacking a second memory chip 1A over the upper surface of the firstmemory chip 1A using an adhesive or the like, while sliding the secondmemory chip 1A in each of X and Y directions relative to the firstmemory chip 1A. Almost simultaneously with the stacking work, a controlchip 1B is mounted using an adhesive or the like over the other regionof the base substrate 2.

Next, the base substrate 2, having the chips 1A, 1A, 1B mountedthereover, is loaded on a heating stage of a wire bonding apparatus.After the reverse side of the base substrate 2 is fixed at the heatingstage by vacuum adsorption or the like, the bonding pads BP of the chips1A, 1A, 1B and corresponding electrodes 5 are electrically connectedsuccessively with a wire 6. For the connection via the wire 6, a wirebonding method using thermo compression bonding and supersonic vibrationin combination is employed. Upon connection of the bonding pad BP of theupper memory chip 1A with the electrode 5 via the wire 6, the loopheight of the wire 6 to be connected with the bonding pad BP of theupper memory chip 1A can be lowered more by adopting a reverse bondingsystem, wherein bonding (first bonding) of one end of the wire 6 to thesurface of the electrode 5 is followed by bonding (second bonding) ofthe other end of the wire 6 to the surface of the bonding pad BP.

After determination of the connected state of the wire 6 by visualinspection, the chips 1A, 1A, 1B and wire 6 are sealed with a resin 3.Sealing may be conducted with either one of a potting resin or a moldingresin. Electrical properties are then tested by bringing a probe intocontact with the test pad 8 formed on one end of the base substrate 2.The upper surface of the base substrate 2 is covered with a resin-madecap 4, whereby the memory card MC according to this Embodiment asillustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 is completed.

In order to reduce the manufacturing cost by decreasing the number ofparts which make up the memory card, the whole upper surface of the basesubstrate 2 may be sealed with the resin 3, as illustrated in FIG. 6,instead of covering the upper surface of the base substrate 2 with thecap 4. Upon resin sealing, either single substrate sealing or multiplesubstrate sealing may be adopted.

The above-described memory card MC has the control chip 1B mounted overthe base substrate 2, but it is possible to stack the control chip 1B,which is smaller in external size than the memory chip 1A, over theupper surface of the upper memory chip 1A, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and8.

Adoption of such a chip stacking system makes it possible to decreasethe external size of the base substrate 2, because a separate region ofthe base substrate 2 to mount the control chip 1B thereon becomesunnecessary, leading to a reduction in the size and weight of the memorycard MC.

In such a chip stacking system, however, the chips 1A, 1A, 1B arestacked in three layers, which increases the thickness of the resin forsealing the chips 1A, 1A, 1B and wire 6, thereby preventing a reductionof the thickness of the memory card MC. As a countermeasure, an increasein the thickness of the resin 3 can be suppressed by polishing thereverse side of each of the chips 1A, 1A, 1B, thereby decreasing theirthicknesses.

The chip stacking system according to this Embodiment can also beapplied to a package like a BGA (ball grid array) type package. The BGAas illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 is obtained, for example, by using aresin 3 to seal the whole upper surface of a base substrate 2 havingthereon two memory chips 1A, stacked in respective layers, and a controlchip 1B, and by connecting, via the bottom surface of the base substrate2, a bump electrode 10 made of solder or the like. The BGA asillustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12 is obtained by stacking the control chip1B over the two memory chips 1A, which are stacked in respective layers.

When the chip stacking system of this Embodiment is applied to a BGA,the thermal stress applied to the bump electrode 10 upon mounting of theBGA to the substrate can be reduced by interposing, between the lowermemory chip 1A and base substrate 2, a sheet material made of anelastomer or, porous resin which has a lower modulus of elasticity thanthe resin material forming the base substrate 2.

Embodiment 2

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the semiconductor deviceof this Embodiment, while FIG. 14 is a plan view illustrating the basesubstrate of this semiconductor device.

The semiconductor device of this Embodiment is a memory card MC obtainedby mounting over a base substrate 2 four memory chips 1A₁, to 1A₄, eachhaving a flash memory formed thereon, and a control chip 1B; sealingthese chips 1A₁ to 1A₄ and 1B with a resin 3; and covering the uppersurface of the base substrate 2 with a resin cap 4.

The four memory chips 1A₁ to 1A₄ have the same external size and have aflash memory of the same memory capacity formed thereon. These memorychips 1A₁ to 1A₄ each have a single-side pad system wherein bonding padsBP are formed at the periphery of the element surface, and they arearranged in a line along one of the sides of each of the memory chips.

In this Embodiment, these four memory chips 1A₁ to 1A₄ are mounted overthe base substrate 2, while being stacked in four layers. In this case,the second memory chip 1A₂ and fourth memory chip 1A₄ are stackedrelative to the first memory chip 1A₁ and the third memory chip 1A₃,respectively, while sliding the former ones in a direction (X direction)parallel to the one side along which bonding pads BP are arranged and ina direction (Y direction) perpendicular thereto. The memory chips 1A₁ to1A₄, are stacked one on another with their faces turned in the samedirection. The memory chips 1A₁ and 1A₃, as well as the memory chips 1A₂and 1A₄, are stacked one after another so that the upper one lies rightabove the lower one when viewed from above. The second memory chip 1A₂and the top memory chip 1A₄ are oriented relative to the bottom memorychip 1A₁ and the third memory chip 1A₃, respectively, so that theposition of the bonding pads BP are reversed, that is, right side left.

In the above-described chip stacking system according to thisEmbodiment, no horizontal sliding occurs between the wires 6 of thebottom memory chip 1A₁ and the third memory chip 1A₃, and also betweenthe two wires 6 of the second memory chip 1A₂ and the outermost memorychip 1A₄, but existence of another memory chip between the memory chips1A₁, and 1A₃, or 1A₂ and 1A₄ makes it possible to conduct wire bondingwithout giving any consideration to the wire loop.

Accordingly, the upper and lower wires 6 to be bonded on the same sidebecome free from a short-circuit problem, so that the state ofconnection of the wire 6 can be judged easily using a camera or the likein a visual inspection step conducted after the completion of the wirebonding step.

As illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16, the chip stacking system according tothis Embodiment can be applied, similar to the chip stacking system ofEmbodiment 1, to a resin-sealed type package, such as one using a BGA.It is needless to say that, as in Embodiment 1, a control chip 1Bsmaller in external size than the outermost memory chip 1A₄ can bestacked over the upper surface thereof.

As illustrated in FIG. 17, bonding pads BP (signal pins) common to eachof the two memory chips 1A and control chip 1B may be connected with thesame electrode 5 on the base substrate 2. FIG. 17 illustrates an exampleof application of such a structure to a memory card MC. It is needlessto say that such a structure can be applied to a BGA type package aswell.

The invention made by the present inventors so far has been describedspecifically based on some Embodiments. It should however be borne inmind that the present invention is not limited to or by theseEmbodiments and can be modified within an extent not departing from thescope of the present invention.

In the above-described Embodiments, a description was made concerningthe stacking of chips, each having a flash memory formed thereon. Thoseembodiments are not limited to such a construction, but can also beapplied to stacking of a plurality of chips which are different inexternal size or in the kind of a memory formed thereon.

In the above-described Embodiments, a description was made concerningthe stacking of two or four memory chips. Those embodiments are notlimited thereto, but can also provide for the stacking of three chips,as well as at least five chips.

Advantages available from the typical inventive features disclosed bythe present application will next be described.

The present invention makes it possible, in a semiconductor deviceobtained by stacking a plurality of semiconductor chips, and thensealing the chips with a resin, to reduce the occurrence of a shortcircuit between the wires connected with the bonding pad of the lowersemiconductor chip and that of the upper semiconductor chip.

The present invention makes it possible, in a semiconductor deviceobtained by stacking a plurality of semiconductor chips, and thensealing the chips with a resin, to improve the reliability of the visualinspection conducted after the wire bonding step.

The present invention makes it possible to promote a size and thicknessreduction of a semiconductor device obtained by stacking a plurality ofsemiconductor chips, and then sealing the chips with a resin.

The present invention facilitates the stacking of a plurality ofsemiconductor chips, thereby making it possible to realize asmall-sized, thin and large-capacity memory package.

The present invention makes it possible, in a semiconductor deviceobtained by stacking a plurality of semiconductor chips, and thensealing the chips with a resin, to reduce the manufacturing cost of thesemiconductor device, because the semiconductor chip and the substratecan be electrically connected by a wire bonding system.

What is claimed is:
 1. A semiconductor device comprising: a substratehaving a main surface and a plurality of electrodes on the main surface;a first semiconductor chip having a main surface and a plurality ofbonding pads formed along one side of the main surface, the firstsemiconductor chip being mounted on the main surface of the substrate; asecond semiconductor chip having a main surface and a plurality ofbonding pads formed along one side of the main surface, the secondsemiconductor chip being stacked over the main surface of the firstsemiconductor chip; first wires electrically connecting respective onesof the bonding pads of the first semiconductor chip with correspondingones of the plurality of electrodes, the first wires being connected atfirst connecting portions of the plurality of electrodes, respectively;second wires electrically connecting respective ones of the bonding padsof the second semiconductor chip with corresponding ones of theplurality of electrodes, the second wires being connected at secondconnecting portions of the plurality of electrodes, respectively; and aresin sealing the first semiconductor chip, the second semiconductorchip, the first wires, the second wires and the plurality of electrodes;wherein the second semiconductor chip is stacked over the main surfaceof the first semiconductor chip while being offset in a directionparallel to the one side of said first semiconductor chip and in adirection perpendicular thereto; wherein the first semiconductor chipand second semiconductor chip have a circuit of the same function formedthereon and a same arrangement of the bonding pads; wherein the firstsemiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip are arranged suchthat the one sides thereof, along which the bonding pads thereof areformed, are facing towards the plurality of electrodes, respectively;wherein the first connecting portions are electrically connected withthe second connecting portions via the electrodes of the substrate;wherein the second connecting portions are arranged farther from the oneside of the first semiconductor chip than the first connecting portions;and wherein distances between each of the first connecting portions andcorresponding ones of the second connecting portions in a directionperpendicular to the one side of the first semiconductor chip is largerthan distances between them in a direction parallel to the one side ofthe first semiconductor chip.
 2. A semiconductor device according toclaim 1, wherein one of the first connecting portions is aligned with acorresponding one of the second connecting portions in a directionperpendicular to the one side of the first semiconductor chip.
 3. Asemiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a thirdsemiconductor chip mounted over the main surface of the substrate,wherein the electrodes are arranged between the one side of the firstsemiconductor chip and the third semiconductor chip, in a plan view ofthe substrate main surface.
 4. A method of manufacturing a semiconductordevice comprising the steps of: (a) providing a substrate having a mainsurface and a plurality of electrodes on the main surface; (b) providinga first semiconductor chip having a main surface and a plurality ofbonding pads formed along one side of the main surface; (c) providing asecond semiconductor chip having a main surface and a plurality ofbonding pads formed along one side of the main surface; (d) mounting thefirst semiconductor chip on the main surface of the substrate; (e)stacking the second semiconductor chip over the main surface of thefirst semiconductor chip, while offset the second semiconductor chip ina direction parallel to the one side of the first semiconductor chip andin a direction perpendicular thereto; (f) electrically connecting thebonding pads of the first semiconductor chip with the plurality ofelectrodes via first wires, the connection of the first wires to theplurality of electrodes being effected at first connecting portions ofthe plurality of electrodes, respectively; (g) electrically connectingthe bonding pads of the second semiconductor chip with the plurality ofelectrodes via second wires, the connection of the second wires to theplurality of electrodes being effected at second connecting portions ofthe plurality of electrodes, respectively; (h) sealing the firstsemiconductor chip, the second semiconductor chip, the first wires, thesecond wires and the plurality of electrodes by resin; wherein the firstsemiconductor chip and second semiconductor chip have a circuit of thesame function formed thereon and a same arrangement of the bonding pads;wherein the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chipare arranged such that the one sides thereof, along which the bondingpads thereof are formed, are facing towards the plurality of electrodes,respectively; and wherein the second connecting portions are arrangedfurther from the one side of the first semiconductor chip than the firstconnecting portions, respectively.
 5. A method of man acturing asemiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein the first connectingportions are electrically connected with the second connecting portionsvia the electrodes of the substrate.
 6. A method of manufacturing asemiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein one of the firstconnecting portions is aligned with a corresponding one of the secondconnecting portions in a direction perpendicular to the one side of thefirst semiconductor chip.
 7. A method of manufacturing a semiconductordevice according to claim 5, wherein distances between each of the firstconnecting portions and corresponding ones of the second connectingportions in a direction perpendicular to the one side of the firstsemiconductor chip is larger than distances between them in a directionparallel to the one side of the first semiconductor chip.
 8. A method ofmanufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 6, furthercomprising mounting a third semiconductor chip over the main surface ofthe substrate, wherein the electrodes are arranged between the one sideof the first semiconductor chip and the third semiconductor chip, in aplan view of the substrate main surface.
 9. A method of manufacturing asemiconductor device according to claims 6, wherein electricalconnection via the second wires is effected by connecting the surface ofeach of the electrodes with one end of each of the second wires,followed by connecting the other end of each second wire with thesurface of respectively corresponding ones of said bonding pads of thesecond semiconductor chip.
 10. A method of manufacturing a semiconductordevice according to claim 6, further comprising a step of connectingbump electrodes on another, opposing surface of the substrate.